Proposition A<\/a>, a Dallas County property tax increase on the Nov. 3 ballot expected to generate about $100 million annually for homelessness services.\u00a0<\/p>\nIn its proposal for the tax initiative, Housing Forward, the nonprofit coordinating the county\u2019s response to homelessness, identified Austin Street and Stewpot as the first coordinated intake hub. That\u2019s where police or providers in other parts of the county could bring homeless people for treatment and services.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mihalopoulos said the 24-bed crisis center will proceed regardless of whether the property tax initiative passes, but the tax revenue could help fund annual operations the nonprofit would otherwise have to raise through donations.<\/p>\n
Bennett did not respond to an email or phone call from The Dallas Morning News to talk about the crisis center project or to say whether he favors the tax. Nunneley said Bennett will likely donate to the crisis center project in the future.<\/p>\n
Along with the voluntary, short-term mental health beds, Mihalopoulos said the Austin Street renovation, tentatively called Pathways Transition Center, will have space for case management services, a kitchen, showers and potentially a dog kennel built in phases on the center\u2019s existing property.<\/p>\n
He said construction costs are $16 million, with five years of operating expenses at another $16 million.<\/p>\n
Next door, the Stewpot has secured funding for a $2.5 million dental and health clinic to add to its meal program, ID services and other resources, said executive director Brenda Snitzer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Landscaping and a walkable connection between the buildings would bring the services together into a cohesive campus, though the two organizations would remain separate, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all coming to the table with how we see what’s needed for our neighbors who are unsheltered,\u201d Snitzer said.<\/p>\n
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Looking ahead<\/p>\n
The renovation is considerably smaller than earlier proposals Bennett has been involved in.<\/p>\n
Bennett told a Texas senate committee in 2024 he had \u201ctaken up the charge to try to help my city with this big homelessness problem.\u201d He said in a radio interview his 50-acre Refuge for Renewal idea was modeled after San Antonio\u2019s Haven for Hope, a consolidated homeless services campus, to be a \u201cone stop shop\u201d for services.<\/p>\n
In September 2025, Nunneley met with four City Council members about Bennett\u2019s refuge concept. They discussed relocating The Bridge, Dallas\u2019 largest free emergency homeless shelter, from downtown to a proposed campus near Dallas Executive Airport, though Nunneley said 10 sites were being considered.<\/p>\n
The unposted meeting drew accusations of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act because four members of the seven-member housing committee attended. Committee Chair Cara Mendelsohn disputed any violation, saying there were no deliberations.<\/p>\n
Mihalopoulos said the meeting prompted him to contact Bennett and Nunneley to see where they could find common ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Together, he said they commissioned a consultant to develop a proposal for a 25-acre homeless services campus at the corner of Interstate 30 and South Malcolm X Boulevard around Austin Street, with 2,000 beds, a hospice, grocery store and mental health crisis center. The Dallas Regional Chamber and Dallas Citizens Council paid $50,000 for the study.<\/p>\n
Nunneley said Bennett was open to supporting a smaller crisis center instead because it could help people quickly without having to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for a larger campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt like this was a bird in the hand,\u201d said Nunneley, who said he was speaking on Bennett\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n
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Sarah Kahn, president and CEO of Housing Forward, which coordinates local efforts to combat homelessness.<\/p>\n
Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Sarah Kahn, CEO of Housing Forward, said the nonprofit and members of its coalition have no plans for a larger campus within the 25-acre footprint around Austin Street.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said no tax funds from the ballot measure would be used for construction of new facilities, just funding for services.<\/p>\n
Daniel Roby, Austin Street Center\u2019s CEO, said his priority is creating the 24-bed diversion hub where people can be connected with services. He said he has no plans beyond that project.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is what I feel we can commit to doing well,\u201d Roby said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mihalopoulos and Nunneley said there is still potential for additional development around Austin Street Center, including transitional housing, if land becomes available and charities provide funding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be a model to bring other nonprofits down the road here,\u201d Mihalopoulos said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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He cited a police evidence warehouse across from Austin Street that could be repurposed if voters approve a separate $443 million public safety bond package Nov. 3 and the facility is relocated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the bond happens and if they go somewhere else, that property is available for the city to do something. Could that be some kind of transitional housing?\u201d Mihalopoulos said. \u201cTheres too many ifs today but there is potential to do more in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n
They said relocating The Bridge, which sits on city-owned land, is not part of their proposal.<\/p>\n
Spending plan<\/p>\n
Housing Forward\u2019s $100 million annual tax proposal calls for providers coordinating to connect people to mental health services, shelter and housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It proposes using $20 million to create hubs in six geographic zones across the county at existing service facilities for law enforcement or providers to bring people for assessment or transport to a central intake hub.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Contracts for auxiliary providers in the zones would be awarded through competitive bidding if the tax passes. Kahn said Austin Street and Stewpot\u2019s unified campus was able to be identified as the central intake before bidding since it will have mental health beds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The proposal calls for another $68 million for short-term rent help and employment support; $8 million for longer-term supportive housing; and $4 million for quick interventions to get people off the streets, such as travel assistance to reconnect with family.<\/p>\n
Passage of the 2.4-cent increase per $100 of taxable property value would put the county\u2019s property tax rate 15.4% above last year\u2019s, including a separate increase already approved by commissioners. It has no automatic expiration.<\/p>\n
Although the 25-acre concept is no longer in play, Nunneley said he spoke with a nonprofit he declined to identify a few weeks ago, telling it that \u201cwe would love to have you down in this area as part of Pathways.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dallas County Commissioner Andrew Sommerman, who helped develop the idea for the tax proposal with Housing Forward, said he would not support a campus-type development around Austin Street.<\/p>\n
But Sommerman, a Democrat, praised Bennett\u2019s support for the transition center as a step toward lasting solutions to homelessness. \u201cIt is a coalition of people who normally don\u2019t always agree and that\u2019s the beauty of it,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His Republican opponent in November, attorney Barry Wernick, opposes the homeless tax because of the added burden on homeowners but welcomed Bennett’s involvement as an example of private-sector cooperation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to at all levels of our lives depend on the government,\u201d Wernick said.<\/p>\n
A contentious history<\/p>\n
Bennett went to war with Dallas\u2019 political establishment in 2024, financing three city charter amendments opposed by Mayor Eric Johnson, four former mayors, county officials and business leaders.<\/p>\n
He accused Dallas leaders of ignoring residents\u2019 concerns about crime as he campaigned for the measures through Dallas HERO, the advocacy group he financed.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe people in Dallas are concerned about crime, and it shows up in survey after survey after survey, and our elected officials just won’t listen,\u201d he told\u00a0KTVT-TV.<\/p>\n
Voters approved two of the propositions, allowing residents to sue the city over certain legal violations and requiring Dallas to hire 900 more police officers.<\/p>\n
Bennett also was pushing his own approach to homelessness. <\/p>\n
In posts on X, he has advocated for prioritizing mental health treatment before housing and imposing \u201cconsequences for chronic offenders\u201d of the law.<\/p>\n
Council member Adam Bazaldua said he recently met with Nunneley, Mihalopoulos \u00a0and others to discuss the collaboration. Bazaldua said he supports the coordination of services between Austin Street and Stewpot as well as passage of Proposition A.<\/p>\n
But he said he opposes a campus for people experiencing homelessness that would concentrate services instead of diversifying options for people across the city. Any relocation of The Bridge would be \u201coff the table\u201d for him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bazaldua questioned Bennett\u2019s motives and involvement. He said while the homeless services coalition is not backing a larger campus, Bennett’s interest in development and downtown Dallas\u2019 future are also at play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t believe this is a genuine wholesome attempt,\u201d Bazaldua said.<\/p>\n
Nunneley said he is not working to tie up any sites or push development, but in an interview pointed to parcels on a map to show where other nonprofits could be located in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In September, Bennett posted on X that \u201c$100 million more\u201d won\u2019t solve homelessness. Nunneley initially said Bennett opposed any tax increase but later clarified he did not know his position on Proposition A.<\/p>\n
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